Failure to initiate a timely rescue operation to rescue a worker from a confined space can have disastrous consequences for any company and its employees. When considering confined space entry, safety experts must know what to do when someone is injured, incapacitated, or trapped in a place and needs to be rescued. Read on to learn what constitutes a confined space emergency and how to prepare for a confined space entry and rescue in 7 steps.
What Constitutes a Confined Space Emergency?
Understanding what elevates an incident to a confined space emergency is crucial for effective response. The key determinant is time sensitivity, primarily relating to the conditions within the space that could threaten life or health.
Time-Sensitive Situations
Consider the scenario where an individual is trapped in an area with limited oxygen. Here, time is of the essence, and the need for immediate action is paramount. The lack of breathable air transforms the situation into an emergency requiring rapid intervention.
Non-Urgent Scenarios
On the other hand, if someone is trapped where oxygen levels are adequate, the urgency decreases. In these cases, the response can be slower and more calculated. This will allow for more thorough planning without the immediate threat of suffocation or asphyxiation.
Evaluating Hazards
Assess any additional dangers present beyond air quality. Situations involving toxic gases, unstable structures, or potential for sudden hazards escalate the urgency. Any environment posing immediate risks to life is classified as an emergency.
How to Prepare for Confined Space Entry
When rescuing in restricted areas, preparedness, rescue-focused skills training, effective use of rescue equipment, and real-world, hands-on practice can limit human error. The actions outlined below can assist safety personnel in planning and conducting a confined space rescue promptly.
Step 1 – Rescue Drills & Practice
Practicing is one of the most effective strategies to prepare for an emergency. Rescue simulations allow OSH professionals to test theories and methods regarding the best procedures for confined space rescue.
The rescue exercises allow staff to practice working through various scenarios to get more familiar with situations they might face in confined areas. Rescue drills assist teams in preparing for working in tight spaces and, if required, rescuing teammates.
Step 2 – Understanding Rescue Types
Safety professionals build strategies for designing and executing a rescue based on the type of rescue services required. Rescue operations typically fall under two categories: Time-sensitive and non-time-sensitive.
Time-sensitive or “emergency” rescues usually include oxygen-depleted environments with a short window to get someone out, usually six minutes. On the other hand, rescue operations without very tight time constraints are considered non-time-sensitive.
A circumstance in which someone falls and breaks their ankle while entering a location is an example of a non-time-sensitive rescue. The O2 levels are sufficient in these situations; the rescue is not as time-sensitive and is carried out without supplemental oxygen.
Step 3 – Wearing Full Body Harness
The complete body harness is possibly the most crucial piece of confined space rescue equipment. Many rescues involve lifting equipment to remove a person from a tight place; this equipment must attach to a full-body harness. Both vertical and horizontal rescues require a harness to help hoist a person out of a location and place the worker on a stretcher or rescue board.
Without a full-body harness, rescues become much more difficult and time-consuming. Therefore, it is essential to ensure every entrant wears one. Workers do not want to put a full-body harness on a motionless person, especially if the rescue is time-sensitive.
Authorized entrants must wear a full-body harness attached to a retrieval line at the center of their backs. This setup is critical for effective rescues. However, if using a full-body harness is not feasible or presents a greater hazard, wristlets may serve as an alternative.
Connect the retrieval line to a fixed point or mechanical device outside the confined space. This ensures a rapid and safe retrieval, especially in spaces more than 5 feet deep. Adhering to these guidelines makes the rescue process safer and more efficient, minimizing risks for both rescuers and entrants.
Step 4 – Survey the Confined Space
Getting someone out of a limited location quickly necessitates a thorough understanding of the space’s dimensions. The OSH specialist may need to adapt the rescue strategy based on the space configuration and location.
For example, the typical tripod used to pull personnel out of tight places in the chemical industry may not be practicable in all confined spaces. As a result, anchor eyebolts may be required for vertical rescues over confined space entrance sites. Surveying ahead of time will aid in determining the proper tools and tactics for operating in a restricted place and rescuing someone.
Step 5 – Survey Openings
Openings in confined spaces can be a challenge during rescue operations. Assess the size, shape, and location of openings to determine the best approach for entry and exit. A common mistake is believing a rescuer using a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) can fit into any confined place and move around freely.
However, this is not always the case. Sometimes, the opening is not wide enough to accommodate all the equipment. Surveying apertures allows employees and/or rescuers to determine how much room they’ll have to enter the confined space and what equipment they can carry.
Step 6 – Meet with Local Authorities
“It’s crucial to understand that calling 9-1-1 for a confined space rescue isn’t always an option. Authorities do not always have the manpower, equipment, or capability to attempt a confined space rescue, depending on the situation. Therefore, meeting with the local authorities to learn more about their rescue capabilities is essential.
In many confined space rescue scenarios, the involvement of local police, fire departments, and paramedics is vital. These departments bring various resources and expertise to the table, but their capabilities can significantly differ between urban and rural areas. These services might have advanced equipment and specialized teams in large cities, while suburban or rural towns may have limited resources or longer response times.
Safety specialists can build rescue strategies tailored to each situation by understanding the capabilities of local authorities. This understanding is crucial for formulating a confined space entry emergency evacuation and rescue plan that is as effective as possible. If local authorities cannot help, the OSH professional must make the necessary adjustments to guarantee that the necessary personnel are in place to respond to an emergency immediately.”
Step 7 – Work with a Trained Rescue Team
In many rescue circumstances, employees believe they can attach a person to the rescue winch’s line and conduct the rescue internally without requiring a rescue crew. While this strategy may work in situations where someone falls to their death at the bottom of a confined space, such incidents are uncommon. Furthermore, the approach is not ideal when there are multiple entrants.
A better approach is to seek guidance and the services of safety professionals. Safety professionals must guarantee that they have a properly equipped and trained confined space rescue team (CSRT) on standby in the event of an emergency.
A rescue crew must be equipped to respond quickly if someone is injured, imprisoned, or immobilized, regardless of the confined space or opening. A CSRT could be a qualified employee or worker of the internal team, external or third-party contractors, or a local emergency response. The team’s composition depends on several factors: budget, local resources, and competent personnel.
Options for Assembling a Rescue Team
- Internal Team Development: Training and certifying your employees as part of the rescue team ensures that your staff is directly involved and well-prepared for any emergency. This internal approach builds expertise within the organization.
- Collaboration with Local Emergency Responders: Partnering with local emergency services can provide a reliable, experienced rescue team. This option leverages existing public safety resources and strengthens community ties.
- Hiring External Contractors: Engaging third-party rescue services offers specialized expertise and equipment tailored to confined space emergencies. This option is ideal for businesses that prefer outsourcing safety operations to focus on core activities.
Ultimately, how you build this team will depend on the resources available to your business. This will include budget constraints and the availability of skilled personnel. Each option offers distinct advantages, allowing you to choose the best fit for your organization’s needs.
DCS provides all the necessary rescue apparatus and planning documentation to fulfill regulatory requirements associated with confined space permits. This includes pre-planning. Rescue plans are completed on-site based on thorough assessments of the subject space and project demands. Our rescue team is mobile and available on a national level. They also can remain at the location to ensure rapid emergency intervention is exercised in the time of need.
Contact DCS Rescue to customize and prepare your confined space entry and rescue plan.